Diagnosing a Hearing Loss
with Medical
and Audiological Evaluations

Medical Evaluation

It is recommended that a medical evaluation is done to identify any possible medical conditions that may be interfering with the hearing screening results. This medical evaluation may consist of different types of testing and a series of questions.The medical evaluation may include a medical history, physical examination, laboratory testing, or consultation with other doctors.

Medical History

family history of childhood permanent hearing loss not related to a medical condition

condition of mother during pregnancy such as

infections

certain types of medication that may have affected the hearing

condition of the baby after birth such as:

Infections from the mother during delivery

48 hours or more in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

low birth weight

anomalies of the head, face or ears

jaundice (yellowing of the skin) & needing a blood transfusion

bacterial infections such as meningitis

ECMO - a special blood exchange

Physical Examination

physical appearance - any change of structure with the ears, head or face such as cleft lip and palate, or size of the head

Laboratory Testing

testing to detect an infection

type of x-rays showing a delay in physical development

testing of the heart function

testing to identify any inherited traits causing hearing loss

Consultation with Other Doctors

Otolaryngologist - specializes in caring for the ear, nose and throat (ENT)

Ophthalmologist - specializes in caring for the eyes

Cardiologist - specializes in caring for the heart

Nephrologist - specializes in caring for the kidneys

Audiological Evaluation

A hearing specialist, called a Diagnostic Audiologist will be able to determine if a baby has a definite hearing loss. These professionals have the background and the appropriate equipment to detect a permanent hearing loss.

An Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) hearing screener along with other testing methods will be used as part of the evaluation. The ABR plays sounds into the baby's ears. Band-aid like electrodes are placed on the baby's head to measure the brain responding to the sounds. This test can detect damage to the inner ear, nerves and the sound’s pathway to the brain. If the baby passes the ABR test, no further testing is needed. However all babies should be watched for hearing loss as they grow.